Our Tallahassee
by dreaming-always85
Summary: Just a one shot taking place during 3x15, Quiet Minds. Rumple and Neal have been separated and Neal is dying. What I would've liked to happen in this episode. NealxEmma.


**Hi all! So we all know what happened in Quiet Minds but this is my take on it. I do not own Once Upon a time or any of the characters. Please read and review! I would love to know what you guys think!**

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Emma's POV:

This can't be happening. Neal can't be dying.

"There has to be some way you can save him, right?" I ask Gold.

"It's too late, Emma." Neal says.

I look at him, tears forming in my eyes. "Just hang in there, please." I say, my voice cracking. "You never had a chance to see Henry. For him to remember you." It's not fair for him to die without Henry remembering him. It's not fair for him to be dying in the first place.

"It's ok. He doesn't need to. He just needs to know that, in the end, I was a good father. I saved this for you to give to you again." He takes the swan keychain he gave me when we were younger out of his pocket. "Take it. Go find Tallahassee Even if it's without me."

"Neal." is all I manage getting out. I take the keychain still trying to fight back the tears and failing. Hey, I'll be watching over you guys from somewhere. Promise me just prom-promise me you'll both be happy."

"I promise, I promise." I say. But I can't promise that really. I can't promise to be happy without him.

"No, no, no, no. I can fix this." Gold says desperate to save his son.

"No, you can't. You can't. Thank you, papa, for showing me what it is to make a true sacrifice. It's about saving the ones that you love." Neal says. I can tell he's getting weaker by the minute.

I know he's talking about Henry and me when he said that. This makes me cry even more. Things can't end like this. They just can't.

"No." Gold says not wanting to believe this. I don't want to either.

I can tell he knows it's his time to go. "It's my turn now."

"No. I don't want to let you go." Neither do I.

"I need you to. Please, let go."

Tears in his eyes Gold gives in. "I love you Son."

"I love you Papa," he says in his last dying breath.

Gold storms off upset and angry. He must be going to find Zelena or David or someone.

I just stay here. A dead Neal in my arms. I close his eyes and just break down. This isn't fair. He shouldn't be gone now. He doesn't deserve this ending. He deserves to live a long and happy life full of love. I try to compose myself. I need to go help stop Zelena before she hurts anyone else.

The worst part is he'll never know the truth. "I love you Neal." I say and kiss him.

A wave of light blows by me. The same kind of thing that happened when I broke the first curse. But that's impossible. No matter how strong true love is it can't bring back the dead. I look at him hopeful.

He gasps for air and opens his eyes. "Emma." he says.

Tears are streaming down my face. I'm so happy I can't even speak. I hug him tight not wanting to let him go.

"How did you? How am I?" he asks confused.

"I don't know." I say. "I know true loves kiss can break any curse but you weren't cursed."

"Well I don't care I'm just glad to be alive. And to be with the woman I love." he says. "I love you Emma."

I'm still crying. "I love you too Neal. I don't think I realized how much until I lost you."

He wipes away the tears from my face. "C'mon let's go." He gets up and offers me his hand. I gladly take it, lacing my fingers through his.

We go to Granny's because that's where we figured everyone would be. Even Gold and Henry are here.

I walk in first without him and everyone is chatting. Gold walks up to me.

"I told everyone including Henry. He went to the bathroom to try and soak it in. Something happened and we all remember the missing year. Henry remembers his real life too."

"I actually have a surprise for you." I say and open the door to the diner.

In walks Neal with a smile on his face.

"Baelfire? But how? I saw you die with my own eyes." Gold says happy but confused.

"In some way, true love's kiss brought me back. Don't know exactly how but it doesn't matter as long as I'm here."

"I thought true love's kiss could only break curses." Regina says confused as well.

"You're right. It can only break curses. But dark magic is considered a curse. Back in our land, Belle kissed me and the curse of dark magic started to break. The curse of dark magic is what killed him so true love's kiss was able to bring him back to us." Gold says making sense of it himself.

Neal walks up to his father. "I meant what I said before. You showed me what a true sacrifice is. You are a changed man and I love you Papa."

Gold tears up and hugs his son. They both got what they wanted. Neal for his father to change and Gold to be with his son again. They pull apart and Henry comes out of the bathroom with his head down.

He looks up and a huge smile spreads across his face. "Dad!" he says and runs up to him hugging him. "You're ok!"

Neal hugs back. "Yea I am," he pulls away from Henry and turns to me.

By now I've taken the swan keychain necklace out of my pocket. I was staring at it when it was taken from my hand.

"Looks like we get to find our Tallahassee after all," he says and puts the necklace on me.

"There's something I've been wanting to do for a long time now," he says. He pulls out a black velvet box and gets down on one knee. "I bought this about thirteen years ago. We were so happy then and I know we can be again. Leaving you was the stupidest thing I ever did and I love you. So Emma Swan, will you marry me?" he asks as he opens the box.

My eyes are watering again but not from sadness. "Yes." I choke out. The look on his face is just the look of true love. He stands up and puts the ring on my finger and kisses me.

When we pull back, I can see in his eyes this is the happiest he's ever been. I pull Henry in for a family hug. "Were finally a family again," I say to them.

Neal smiles. "And I'm not going to let anyone or anything break us apart."

We found our Tallahassee.


End file.
